


You and Me and the Devil Makes Three

by adadshi



Series: The Greatest Treasure in all the Seven Seas [1]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Pirate, Amputee Shiro (Voltron), Enemies to Friends, Hurt Shiro (Voltron), Implied/Referenced Suicide, Inspired by Pirates of the Caribbean, Lovers To Enemies, M/M, Minor Violence, Non-Graphic Violence, Pirate Shiro (Voltron), Prisoner Adam (Voltron), Prisoner Shiro (Voltron), Privateer Adam (Voltron), Reunions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-07
Updated: 2021-01-07
Packaged: 2021-03-18 13:08:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,130
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28618563
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/adadshi/pseuds/adadshi
Summary: Adam sighed and sank down against the ship wall. “What’s your name, sir?”He looked at Adam tiredly and introduced himself, “I am Shiro, captain of the Black Lion.”“Shiro.” Adam tried the name on his mouth, “I knew a Shirogane once.”“Did you now?”“Yes, many years ago, God rest his soul.”-A mystery is solved and an unlikely friendship is formed between pirate Shiro and privateer Adam as they await their deaths in a pirate ship prison.
Relationships: Adam/Shiro (Voltron)
Series: The Greatest Treasure in all the Seven Seas [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2122158
Comments: 9
Kudos: 31





	You and Me and the Devil Makes Three

**Author's Note:**

> warnings for implied/referenced suicide, character considering suicide, drowning, mentioned torture and mentioned alcohol.

Captain Adam was roughly pushed down the stairs of the  _ Atlas _ and landed on the grimy wooden planks with a grunt. He made no attempt to stop his captain’s hat being ripped from him. 

“I’ll be taking this now,” Sendak said with a hearty laugh which his crew joined in with. Adam let out a shaky sigh and squeezed his eyes shut. He was so stupid for believing he could take them on. His past three victories had turned him arrogant. His contract with the Garrison glimmered in his mind.

_ “For every Galra vessel you commandeer,” Admiral Sanda had said in the office of her Caribbean home. It was a beautiful new build decorated with treasures that had come from England and had a prime view of the glistening blue ocean that Adam had spent his entire life admiring, “You will have a claim of 30% for all that’s aboard.”  _

_ It was music to his ears. “And I get first pick of what to keep?” _

_ Sanda nodded. “The Galra pirates must be exterminated. And who knows- if you have repeated success a handsome reward can be arranged. Perhaps your own fleet of ships.” _

_ Ambition glistened in Adam’s hazel eyes, bright and wild like the rolling waves. _

Any dreams of his own fleet were now crushed underneath the flat, worn heel of Sendak’s boot. The same boots he used to press Adam’s head down into the saltwater that leaked through the flooring of his vessel. Sheer red ribbons of blood flowed through the water. 

“I cannot wait to tie you up and walk you off a plank.” Sendak snarled. For good measure, he added on a mocking drawl of “ _ Captain _ .” Adam glared up at him. 

If he had to go down in any way, he supposed having Sendak execute him wasn’t too bad. He was one of the Galra’s highest-ranking commanders. He had a fleet of four ships, one of which Adam had successfully been able to commandeer. Sanda was delighted when he turned that one in. Adam’s share of the treasures was kept in his quarter’s, which Sendak had his men raiding now. With his face pressed against the planks, he groaned. 

Sendak barked orders at his men but the rising water made it difficult for Adam to hear his words. As he was brought to his feet by large, rough hands, he made no protest. What was the use? A thick rope was used to bound his arms to his sides. Sendak’s crew worked quickly to salvage any treasures from the sinking  _ Atlas _ . Its failed captain was helpless to watch. 

He stayed pliant until a crew member came out of his quarters, carrying a battered old tricorn hat. Adam watched with wide, panicked eyes. Just when it was a hair away from the man’s balding head, he yelled, “No!”

That caught their attention. The balding man paused. He smirked and tossed the hat in his hands. 

“This old thing ruffling your feathers?” He asked.

Adam struggled in his binds. “Don’t take it. Don’t touch it. Toss it out to sea. It’s worthless, I swear.”

He would rather the hat was lost to the ocean than to the Galra. 

“Your panic tells a different story.” The Galra man said. He peered inside the hat and squinted. “What’s this-  _ T. Shirogane _ ?” Other members of the crew crowded around him, dumbly trying to pin the name to a person.

Adam ducked his head and let out a shaky breath. They would never know Takashi. He was the sole keeper of his memory. 

_ “What are you doing?” Adam asked. Takashi was lying on his hammock with a spool of yellow thread clenched in his teeth. He was a picture of concentration as he pulled the thread back and forth, here and there, with a glistening silver needle. _

_ “Tryna stitch ma nmm,” Takashi said through the spool. Adam chuckled and sat on his hammock. It hadn’t always been his but he’d bribed Matthew to swap with him.  _

_ Matthew and the others were all above deck, dancing and swapping stories of girls they’d met at the port. Adam could distantly hear a lively concertina tune. As the ship rocked back and forth, the lanterns above their heads swung slowly. _

_ “Why bother? You’ll lose it eventually.” For that Adam received a kick to his shin. He scowled playfully. _

_ Takashi removed the spool from his mouth and looked at Adam fondly. “Stitching my name in means I won’t lose them.” He pulled his Garrison-issued coat out from underneath him and tossed it to Adam.  _

_ “Don’t tell me you’ve done it here too.”  _

_ But Takashi had. “T. Shirogane” was messily sewn into the coat collar. _

_ Adam tossed it back with a laugh. “You’ll get killed for this when we need to turn them back in.” _

_ Shiro laughed along with him. “You think I want to return clothes of this quality? No way- these beauties are mine.” _

Adam gritted his teeth when an ugly Galra man came out wearing Takashi’s coat. What was he thinking taking those precious items with him to sea? It felt sinful for them to wear his things. To taint something so pure.

As he was dragged from the  _ Atlas _ to Sendak’s ship, he looked down at the glistening blue waters. He could throw himself down now. Be the master of his own fate and kill himself before Sendak could. How depressing that that was the only thing he had control over. He looked back at the  _ Atlas _ . She was going nose-first into the waters. The Garrison flag was still flying proudly, but his crew were lying across the deck, their blood leaking into the ocean water.

The ocean. Adam’s first love. If he jumped in now, it would be warm. He could kick his legs for maybe a minute or so until a shark caught sniff of him. Or he would drown, sinking to the seabed where his body would spend the rest of eternity. At least he would be with the ocean, his first love, and Takashi, his second. He could only pray his soul went to heaven. 

When he looked at the waters from this bird’s eye view, directly above, his heart always dropped. It was a terrible curse for a sailor to be haunted like this. Memories came back of a pale, shocked face bobbing helplessly in the water before it was overlapped by dark waves and that face was lost forever.

Adam could reunite with him, down in Davy Jones’ locker.

But before he could throw himself into the waters, his face collided with the planks of Sendak’s ship. The pirate’s laugh was like thunder.

“Get this boy down to the brig!” He commanded, “Take him to the captain!”

As he was hauled to his feet, Adam looked around in confusion. His hair fell into his eyes and he struggled to blow it back. Through his wet locks, he couldn’t make out any man dressed as lavishly as Sendak. The captain? The water in his ears must’ve made him mishear. 

Adam was hauled down to the brig by the two wearing Takashi’s clothes. The rub of his coat against his arm brought him comfort, though the man who wore it now was nothing like its previous owner. It sat on his shoulders sadly, begrudgingly. No one would ever be able to wear it with the same style and command Takashi did. On the head of the other captor, his hat looked wrong.

He stumbled down the stairs to the lower decks. As he passed the hammocks, the few pirates who were awake snarled at him. They reeked of rum. Adam kept his head down. There was no telling what they’d do if anyone recognised him from previous battles. Though both had undesirable outcomes, he’d rather wait in the brig until it was time to walk the plank than be ripped to shreds in the bowels of a Galra ship by revenge-seeking, rum-drinking, no-good, dirty, stinking pirates. 

Adam glared at his two captors as he was thrown into the brig. They laughed at his feeble attempts of intimidation as they locked the prison door. The few teeth they had between them were brown and rotting.

“See how you enjoy imprisonment with the captain. Who knows, he might finish you before Sendak does.” 

“It would be wise to conceal your colours. The captain has quite the grudge against the Garrison.”

The two pirates walked away from the brig, rattling the keys tauntingly as they went. Adam let out an annoyed huff.

The brig was long and thin, sectioned off from the rest of the ship by metal bars that would be impossible to squeeze through. There were a few portholes that gave view to the ocean and buckets that rolled about with even the tiniest movement, spilling their disgusting contents across the planks. Adam got to his feet and stumbled across to the ship wall, trying to avoid the fluids as much as possible. 

He pressed himself against the wall and looked out of a porthole. The ship was speeding away from the  _ Atlas. _ She was beyond salvation and slowly sinking down. Adam squeezed his eyes shut with a pained sigh. She’d be a shipwreck within an hour. He sent a silent prayer out for his crew.

When he turned back, he almost jumped out of his skin. A man, only slightly shorter than him, was inches away from him. They stood so close their noses almost touched. The man was grubby, with a wispy moustache and long, black hair that had a striking bolt of white through it. Behind the ratty hair and vicious red scars, his face might’ve been quite handsome. But Adam’s eye twitched at the sheer stink of the man. He tried to step away. But there was nowhere to go, not with his back against the wall and the man before him.

“Get back, fiend.” Adam snarled, “I can recognise a pirate when I smell one.”

“So you’re well-acquainted with piracy, hm?” The man’s voice was low and crackly, likely from months of neglect.

“The only time I’ve ever been this close with a pirate was when I handed them over to the Garrison for a swift execution at the Gallows.”

“Oh, so not when Sendak looked as if he was going to tear into your neck mere moments ago?”

Adam’s sour look intensified. “Back away. We’re in the same situation now, are we not? Sendak has bested you.”

The man stepped away and sat down on an overturned bucket. It was then that Adam noticed he only had one arm. On his left side, his billowy off-white shirt was tied up around his stump. When he moved, glimpses of the scarred stump peaked through the fabric. Adam wondered how that had occurred.

He put his chin in his hand and looked around the brig with tired eyes. “I put up a better fight than you did. You should’ve seen it: for my greatest failure it was quite spectacular.”

The man looked utterly miserable. 

Adam sighed and sank down against the ship wall. He might as well humour the man while he waited for his death. 

“What’s your name, sir?”

“Sir,” The man snorted, ducking his head down. He looked at Adam tiredly and introduced himself, “I am Shiro, captain of the  _ Black Lion _ .”

“Shiro.” Adam tried the name on his mouth, “I knew a Shirogane once.”

“Did you now?”

“Yes, many years ago, God rest his soul.”

Shiro didn’t give the prayer much time to hold in the stagnant air before he said, “I’ve seen the  _ Atlas _ before. She was quite the beauty.”

She was one of the most beautiful things Adam had ever laid eyes upon. Made of strong, dark wood and fitted with shining silver canons. She was the Garrison’s newest ship and he’d felt so honoured to be entrusted with her. To sail the world with her, discovering new lands and taking down enemies as they went- that had been his dream. It was a shame they’d never come to fruition. 

He felt quite emotional as he said, “Yes, she was. Thank you.”

Shiro looked at him oddly and, finding his gaze unnerving, Adam asked, “What happened to your ship? The  _ Black Lion _ ?

“She’s still out there, last I heard. My right hand is captaining her in my absence. You haven’t seen her? Maybe her sister ships- the  _ Red Lion _ , the  _ Green Lion _ , maybe the  _ Yellow Lion _ ?”

With each name, Adam shook his head. But when Shiro mentioned the  _ Blue Lion _ , he paused and looked away. Shiro picked up on this.

“You- you didn’t…”

“I’m sorry. I was part of the crew that sunk her.”

“You sunk her?” Shiro looked enraged. He stood up from the bucket, stomped his boot against the ground and pointed at the planks, “This is why I left the Garrison! The Voltron fleet is as much enemies of the Galra as you are. We’re on the same side most of the time! Just because we’re pirates doesn’t mean we’re the awful bloodthirsty crowd you make us out to be. The Garrison attack first, ask questions never. Poor Lance, his ship gone…”

Adam overlooked the insults and focused on the first part of his statement. This pirate used to be with the Garrison? He looked at Shiro again and tried to recognise the distinctive parts of him. The shaggy hair, the missing arm and the bumpy facial scars. He knew no one like him, not even from his first few years where he met many sailors-in-training.

Shiro was still furiously fumbling around the brig while Adam stayed lost in thought. The ship turned suddenly and he stumbled, head crashing into an overhanging light and then into Adam.

“ _ Oof _ \- get off of me!” Adam yelled. With his arms still tied to his sides, he was helpless to push Shiro away. Shiro fell back against the cell bars and grumbled an apology.

“Look, can you untie me? I don’t know how long I’m going to be here for but I feel as if my arms might fall off soon if I stay like this.”

The words were out before Adam could think. Shiro gave him a flat look.

“I… I apologise. I shouldn’t have said that. Please, just untie me.”

Shiro did so, though it took some time with his one hand. Adam was thankful to be able to stretch his arms again and quietly thanked the pirate. He found another bucket, tried to disregard the strange stains on its inner walls, and turned it over so he could sit with Shiro. 

“It was Sendak who took my arm, you know. He likes to torture his prisoners before executing them. I imagine you’ll have some time before you walk the plank.” 

Adam gulped. “How long have you been here?”

“It’s hard to say. I tried to count but keeping track of the days is challenging. However, I can say with confidence that it’s been more than a year.”

“Do you miss being free?”

Shiro grew quiet. “Very much so. If I’d known Sendak was coming for me, I would’ve done so much more.”

“I wish I’d put my affairs in order, too. I have so many loans to pay off.”

“Not like that.” Shiro chuckled lightly. Adam’s eyes snapped towards him. Where had he heard that laugh before?”

Shiro stood and walked towards the portholes. He craned his neck and said, “You can’t see the stars from down here. They’re too high up. On calm nights I might catch a glimpse of their reflections against the water, but it’s a rare occasion. If I’d known I’d end up here I would’ve spent more time stargazing.”

Adam was brought back to his sailor-in-training days. When Takashi would drag him up to the crow’s next to gaze at the night sky. 

_ “The stars are a sailor’s best friend,” Takashi said. “Who do we turn to when we’re lost at sea? Neptune can’t help us but Nox’s stars can.” _

_ Noticing his lack of interest, Takashi took Adam’s head in his hand and tilted it so he was looking up. His hands were warm and rough. Hard calluses protected his palms and fingertips.  _

_ “Admiring them feels like infidelity,” Adam admitted, though his words came out rather squished due Takashi’s grip on his cheeks. He moved away with a light chuckle.  _

_ Takashi’s face looked heavenly underneath the moonlight. He had a good, strong nose and a sharp Adam’s apple. He sat with his legs loosely pulled up to his chest, one forearm resting on his knees. There was a gap between his two legs, the perfect sized spot for someone to comfortably sit and find protection from the wind. His hat was tucked underneath his arm.“You’ve promised yourself to the sea, then?” _

_ “I’ve been promised to her for my whole life, Takashi.” _

_ “Do you think she’d introduce me to a pretty mermaid? Or if I threw myself into the water would she wash me up Tortuga?” _

_ Adam laughed and lightly bumped his knee with his fist. “We’ll have no time for women when we’re older, Takashi. Being Garrison sailors gives us a reputation to uphold. But we’ll have each other, won’t we?” _

_ “Yeah.” Takashi looked away from the stars to gaze at Adam, the starstruck sparkle not leaving his eye, “We’ll always have each other.” _

“I imagine I shall welcome death,” Adam said glumly. In the unlikely event he was rescued, facing Sanda would be mortifying. The Garrison had put so much faith into him. How shameful to be captured so soon into his career! All those years of apprenticeship for nothing…

He wished he’d thrown himself into the water now. He’d be dead by now and his soul would be with Takashi’s. In Hell or Heaven, it made no difference to him. As long as they were reunited he would die a content man.

“I recognise the forlorn look on your face.” Shiro said knowingly, “Tell me about him, come on.”

When presented with a morose look, he said, “You might as well! We’ll both be dead soon anyway.”

“You won’t judge me?”

“Look at me-” Shiro leant back against the wall and spread his arm out weakly. Adam was suddenly very aware that the man’s shirt was open at the front,”-do you think I have any right to judge a person?”

He made a good point. So Adam sighed and said, “His name was Takashi Shirogane. We sailed together as young men. The best friend I ever had, God rest his soul.”

Shiro stayed quiet and respectful as he listened to Adam’s woeful tale. He told it quietly but with a certain poise that suggested he thought about his lost love frequently. He might have even rehearsed the tale in his head, waiting for the moment he could spill the ballad out to the Gods.

Perhaps it was the hopelessness of the situation that provoked Adam to ramble. His love for Takashi was his deepest, darkest secret and he’d revealed it now with very minimal prodding. And to a pirate of all people! He could hardly believe himself. 

But it felt good to say Takashi’s name out loud. He hadn’t done that since that fateful night when he hung over the side of the ship, reaching out for the drowning man who was too far away to be saved. He screamed his name until his throat was hoarse. When Matthew found him, he was curled up on the deck, only capable of whispering. 

He was set back to whispering now. The memories brought tears to his eyes. “I- I don’t even know why he would do such a thing. I’ve been blaming myself for almost nine years.”

“Maybe he was just… bored,” Shiro suggested, sounding quite clueless. He’d turned away from Adam now and was carefully inspecting a wall with his hands on his hips. He scuffed his boot against the dusty ground, “Sailing under the Garrison must’ve been dreadfully unexciting.”

“Takashi never was one for the rules. He dragged me along to Tortuga whenever he could and swiped drinks.” Adam shook his head tiredly, “The characters we met in there… I was always grateful to return to our ship at the end of the night.” 

“Sounds like he would’ve enjoyed being a buccaneer.”

Shiro spoke it harmlessly but Adam couldn’t help the anger that rose up in him. How dare he suggest that Takashi would ever indulge in piracy? He was good and purehearted- two qualities a pirate could never possess. He felt disgusted by the notion. 

But before he could give the pirate a piece of his mind, Adam hit the deck with a grunt. As he grumbled and righted himself, he had to wonder who was at the helm of the ship and why they were such a terrible pilot. They were sailing through smooth waters and yet the ship never felt stable. 

All was silent in the lower deck but the footsteps above them were quick, harsh, panicked. Adam slowly stood and pressed his ear against the ship wall. He could hear the distinctive sound of one ship pushing through the water, but, in the distance, he could faintly make out a duplicate sound.

“Do you hear that?” 

Shiro’s ear was also pressed up against the ship wall. “Yes, yes, I do. It’s a Brigantine… cedar build… travelling at about nine knots, I’d say.”

Adam blinked at him. “Do all pirates have such a knack for identifying ships?”

Shiro pointed a thumb at his chest. Adam could hear the smile in his voice as he said: “Only Captain Shiro.”

If a ship was on their trail, they must be rescuers! Was it possible that the Garrison already knew of the  _ Atlas _ ’ defeat? Any shame he felt was overpowered by relief. He was going to be free!

But the Garrison didn’t use Brigantines. They only ever used Galleon-style ships, which would struggle to reach beyond eight knots. Adam didn’t have Shiro’s well-trained pirate ear but even he could distinguish the amazing speed of their pursuer. 

“Shiro,” Adam said slowly. Shiro’s eyes were a deep brown, “Do you know any cedar Brigantines that are capable of nine knots?”

“I do.” 

“And where do her loyalties lie?”

Laughter bubbled in Shiro’s chest and erupted with the tilt-back of his head, revealing a sharp Adam’s apple. Adam looked at him with wide eyes. The pounding of his heart was almost as loud as the feet above their heads. 

“Oh, Adam,” Shiro said once he’d recovered. There was a dark, twisted glee in his voice, “You’re no better being captured by my crew than Sendak’s.”

And as he spoke the words, there was a mighty  _ boom _ . Not thunder, nor God’s wrath, but the firing of a cannon. The metal ball came firing through the side of the brig. Adam viewed the flying of wood and sparks in slow motion. The sparks framed Shiro majestically. He was completely unfazed by the commotion. His experience in piracy was suddenly very clear.

“Hold on-“ He said, “How do you know my name?”

But Shiro was distracted by the new hole in the side of the ship. He cautiously poked his head out and made an excited exclamation. “There she is! The  _ Black Lion _ !” 

The hole was large enough to provide a better view than the portholes did, but not big enough for either of them to slip through to freedom. Adam looked out and caught sight of the ship Shiro spoke of.

She was magnificent. An elegant, dark ship with black sails held up by two masts. A bustling crew were aboard, gathering cannonballs and depositing them into cannons. A young man in a red coat was commanding them. He held his cutlass up in the air fiercely.

“Finally!” Shiro called out, “Over here! Keith! Keith!”

But they couldn't be heard over the constant back-and-forth cannon fire. Cannon fire which started the inevitable flow of water into the ship. 

“Did you leave your crew on bad terms or something?” Adam yelled. He half-considered taking one of the buckets and using it as a helmet. Shiro however, was scanning the brig for opportunity. He collected the rope that had been used to tie up Adam and threw it loosely over his arm. The cell bars had been blasted through by the cannonball (with damages not including a hole big enough for them to escape through). He got onto his knees and reached through the hole to try to grab a bar which had been blown off.

“No.” Shiro said through gritted teeth, “My second mate is just quite reckless. With Keith, it’s shoot cannons first, rescue captain later.”

He swiped up the bar and made a sound of victory. “Ah-ha! Now I at least have a weapon.”

“An awfully blunt weapon. I don’t think fighting is our biggest issue right now.”

With every second that passed, Sendak’s ship was sinking further. The disposal of a Galra ship was usually cause for celebration for Adam but not when he was  _ on board _ one. The water was at his ankles and quickly rising. 

“My shirt,” Adam exclaimed suddenly. He started to furiously unbutton it.

“Whoa- hey, hold on-” Shiro shielded his eyes with his hand and turned away. Adam felt his face blush.

“Shut it, pirate. It’s the brightest thing in this cell. We can use it to catch the attention of your crew.”

Shiro nodded quickly and blew some hair out of his eyes. “And attach it to the bar to make a flag.”

Adam did just that, using his experience as a sailor to tie the shirt to the bar with a tight and secure not. As he did so, he noticed that Shiro’s fingers twitched, following the knotting movements. The flag turned out long enough that the end with the shirt could be put out of the hole and the bar could go perpendicularly across to have the end settled in the horizontal cell bars. 

“Good job.” Shiro said with a relieved sigh, “Now I suppose we sit back and wait for rescue?”

“Like maidens,” Adam grumbled. 

The water had risen now to their knees. Its comfortable warmth made it no less threatening to them. Every time he thought about drowning, the image of Takashi’s pained face flashed in his mind. Adam wouldn’t let himself die in the same painful manner. If he were to die to the ocean then he would be the one to decide it. Until the crew of the  _ Black Lion _ came to their rescue, all they could do was avoid drowning. 

For two captains, their contribution to this battle was quite pitiful. Adam hoped no Garrison officials would ever hear of it. 

The water rose painfully slowly. Adam noticed that Shiro was beginning to look tired. He was sighing more often. The rising water level meant he couldn’t sit, only stand. At this point they’d been on their feet for at least an hour. 

“We don’t even have a table to stand on for height.” Shiro was starting to sound distressed. He kept on peeking out of the portholes and looking back at Adam worriedly. “I’ve been a prisoner here for too long to die at the hands of my own crew.”

“It’s okay, it’s okay. We can… climb up on the bars.” Adam tried it, but his feet were too big to fit through the thin slots. 

The two of them looked at each other with the same hopeless expression. They resorted to stacking up buckets and standing on them. Adam clawed at the ceiling, desperate to find purchase. They were sitting ducks.

Shiro stood on a bucket. With the new height, he had to keep his head ducked. His tangled hair hid his expression.

The water rose to their waists without any sign of the barrage ending. The entire ship shook and groaned. If it didn’t sink soon, it would be obliterated by cannons. Adam wasn’t sure of the better option. All he could do was keep his head up high and survive for as long as possible. 

“We might die here.” Adam whispered, “The two of us down here, alone.” 

“You and me, and the devil makes three.”

Adam snorted. It was strange: despite his opposition to piracy, he felt things for this pirate. He was his first friend in some time. If he were to die here today, he would consider it a pleasure to have met him. But if they were to escape and part ways, Adam would give him a head start before he started to chase down the  _ Black Lion _ . 

Some time later, their saviour came in the form of a familiar Italian man. 

“Adam and Shiro, as I live and breathe!” 

Adam’s head snapped towards the source of the exclamation and felt all air leave his lungs. “Matthew Holt!”

He was wading through the water, arms raised above it. In his right hand, he held a ring of keys. 

“Hurry up or we’ll be living no longer.” Shiro groaned. His hand was shaking against the ceiling.

“Yeah, yeah, nice to see you too, Captain.” Mathew made it over to the cell and held up the keys, “Any idea what one unlocks this cage?”

Neither of them had a clue. Thus began the long, torturous process of trying every key on the ring. 

Adam had so many questions. How did Shiro know Matthew, his old sailing friend? They sailed on Garrison ships together before Matthew had to return home to Italy to tend to his hoyden sister. He hadn’t seen the man in years. In that time he’d grown his hair out and gained some muscle. His face was rough-hewn.

“Matthew, don’t tell me you sail with these pirates?”

Matthew smiled while he continued to try keys. “Sorry, Adam. Tough times put me in tough positions. Luckily our old pal was able to help me out.”

“ _ Our? _ ” 

Shiro’s torso was shaking now. The water was rising quicker and quicker, now reaching their chests. Adam had no idea how long Shiro would be able to keep himself above the water for considering he only had one hand to steady himself. To try the keys, Matthew had to dive down below the water to reach the lock. Recovering after each failed attempt took up precious time.

Adam was not ashamed of the exhausted noise of joy he made when the cell door pushed open. Matthew had to push it harshly for it to open the full way. 

“Take his arm.” Adam told Matthew, “I’ll take his side. Keep his head above water.”

“I can get myself out of here just fine.” Shiro protested. But the second he stepped off of the bucket, his feet failed and he fell into the water. Adam grabbed his waist with one hand and tugged him up to the surface. Shiro was too exhausted to keep himself safe. 

With Matthew holding onto Shiro’s arm, they filed out of the cell and slowly went to the stairs. Adam’s feet could barely touch the ground. He kept his free hand against the ceiling for steadiness. 

“If it weren’t for the flag we wouldn’t have been able to find you.” Matthew said, “It was good thinking.”

Distracted by their frantic escape, Adam hadn’t noticed that the cannon fire had ceased. They came up onto the deck and took in a big breath of fresh air. It felt good to walk without being pushed back by water. 

Shiro’s crew were the obvious victors. The remains of a battle haunted Sendak’s ship, with men lying dead on the deck. Adam walked over them without pity. It was only a few hours ago they’d done the same to his crew. They’d gotten what was coming to them. 

Across from the sinking ship, the  _ Black Lion _ bobbed up and down in the water with her anchor down. The figure in red was standing looking down at them. He called out, “Hold on, we’re gonna get you out of there.”

“Not possible.” Shiro called back, “We’re too low down for a plank. We’re going to have to get ourselves out of this one.”

“What’s the plan, Captain?”

Shiro pushed himself out of Adam and Matthew’s grasp and started to walk up to the crow’s nest. The three of them shakily climbed up there. The higher they got, the more unstable the crow’s nest felt. But it was the only part of the ship that was still remotely on level with the  _ Black Lion _ . When he took the rope from his arm, Adam realised what he was doing.

“No, no, there’s no way I’m doing that, Shiro.” He protested. Shiro tossed the rope across to the  _ Black Lion _ . His crew got hold of it and tied it to their own crow’s nest. 

“Would you rather stay and drown?” Matthew snorted. The second a member of his crew gave them a thumbs up, he took hold of the rope with both hands and swung across onto the ship’s deck. He was welcomed with hugs and high fives from his crew. 

Shiro’s hair was still covering his face. Adam wondered if he felt nervous to be returning to the  _ Black Lion _ after being away for so long.  _ An entire year _ . It had only been a few hours since the  _ Atlas _ sunk and Adam missed her terribly. He couldn’t imagine the way Shiro was feeling. 

Suddenly the crow’s nest started to shake. Adam reached out and grabbed Shiro’s shoulder. Below them, on the deck of the sinking ship, was Sendak. He brought his sword back, high above his head and then down on the mast.

“Neither of you-” He roared through pants, “-are going anywhere!” 

Instantly the crew of the  _ Black Lion _ were rushing to their cannons but Shiro’s command stopped them: “Hold fire!” 

Adam knew that one more cannon would be all it took for the ship to go under, taking them with it. 

Sendak raised his sword again and Adam quickly said, “Alright, let’s do this.”

He stood on the edge of the crow’s nest and caught the rope Matthew threw back to them. He held it with one hand and took Shiro’s waist with the other.

“Three.”

“Two.” 

Adam squeezed his eyes shut.

“Stop!” Sendak roared.

“Fire in the hole!” Shiro yelled. Adam pushed them off of the crow’s nest as the first cannon hit Sendak’s ship.

Despite the precarious situation, flying through the air felt so exhilarating to Adam. The air through his hair… the smell of sea salt… with his eyes shut, he could imagine he was back in the _ Atlas _ , racing from a victorious battle. 

With a carefree laugh on his lips, Adam opened his eyes and looked to Shiro. The wind was pushing his tangled hair back, giving Adam the first unobscured view of his face. 

He wasn’t quite sure of what made it click, it just did. 

“ _ Takashi _ .”

They landed on the  _ Black Lion _ ’s deck inelegantly, with Adam falling onto Shiro’s chest. Shiro made a move to get up, but Adam pressed him back against the deck.

“You-you're supposed to be dead!” He cried. He pushed Shiro’s hair back and inspected every inch of his face. How hadn’t he seen him before? How could he let a few layers of dirt and scars stop him from recognising the face he missed most in the world? How could Shiro stay silent while Adam practically indirectly declared his love for him?

“Adam, not now-”

“Not now? How do you expect me to react upon finding that the love of my life isn’t dead after all? How do you expect me to hold these emotions back?” He hissed. Salty tears gathered in his eyes and he slammed his fist against the floor, “I-I’m angry… but I am so pleased to see you.”

Adam didn’t protest while he was seized by Shiro’s crew. He let rope bind his arms to his side and a rag in his mouth. He watched as a big, leather coat was placed over Shiro. His second in command welcomed him back with a fierce hug before commanding that the Captain be given space. The crew all obeyed him.

“As for the prisoner,” The man began, “What shall we do to him, Shiro?”

“Put him in my quarters. Give him water and feed him.” Shiro looked down at Adam with a cold look in his eyes. It broke his heart.

“Takashi, please-”

“I have much work to do.” And with that, Shiro limped away to his office and out of Adam’s sight.

As Sendak and his ship finally sank down below the water, Adam gulped. With eleven pirates looking down at him (some with pity, some with curiosity, and some with loathing), a similar fate- or something far worse- felt likely in his future.

**Author's Note:**

> *gasp* o no, what will happen to Adam? find out if I ever decide to turn this into a series! 
> 
> constructive criticism is welcomed and encouraged.
> 
> twitter: @adadshi


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